Manchester United vs Real Madrid

I am still reeling from this defeat and am very vexed that the referee choose to red-card Luis Nani for an incident that I plainly see was an accident. It was a very harsh decision and given the circumstances, we were one man down and because of that our momentum was shaken and we lost 2 – 1. We were leading at first but alas, that was not to be. We are out of the Champions League so now it looks like all we need is to qualify for a double, which is more than what can be said for Liverpool.

I am not happy. But this issue will NOT stop me from supporting the club that I love from the bottom of my heart. Glory Glory Manchester United!

Shure PG58 microphone package

A friend of mine gave me this Shure PG58 cardioid microphone package the other day. All that is in the picture here is identical except for the microphone cable. The microphone cable that came with mine is an unbalanced one. But no matter about the mic cable…I want to talk about the PG58 microphone

I have had a Shure SM58 for a number of years now and it has always served me well. I must say that when it comes to legendary microphones, Shure hangs in there with the best of them…good, clear sound, a body that can take stage and tour abuse and finally, an affordable price. I never thought about the other *58 mics like this PG58 that my friend gave me. But now I have one so let us have a look at it.

The first thing I did was to check the microphone capsule. The SM58 has a very unique capsule and I can spot one very easily. This one does not have the same capsule as the SM58 of course, but it sports the same, if not similar,  removable windscreen and pop-filter. To be honest, the capsule does not look very strong…it looks like it may damage easily but then again, this is a PG58, not an SM58.

Another thing different is the the presence of an ON / OFF switch. There is no such thing on the SM58. There is a saying that all mics that come with such a switch are low-quality ones. I beg to differ on that. I have used many a microphone in the past with switches and they have all held up very well and had good, crisp and clear sound. But what I like about the body is that it feels solid…not unlike the SM58.

This is what this package consists of…features if you like:

• Tailored frequency response is smooth and extended. Tuned specifically for vocal applications.
• Cardioid polar pattern picks up the most sound from in front of the microphone and some sound from the sides. Less susceptible to feedback in high volume settings.
• Dynamic cartridge has a simple, rugged coil. Handles extreme volume levels without distortion.
• Cartridge includes a neodymium magnet for high output level.
• Internal shock mount for reduced handling noise.
• Durable metal construction.
• On/off switch for onstage control.
• Hardened steel mesh ball grille that resists wear and abuse.
• Integral “pop” filter reduces explosive breath sounds and wind noise.
• Includes 15ft (4.57m) cable, break-resistant mic clip and storage bag.
• Replacement cartridge:  RPM150.

So it looks like the cartridge is replaceable, like the SM58. Looks like it will do the job. Now and I can probably retire my old AKG D2000 microphone, with its disintegrated pop-filter that cannot be replaced, with this new Shure PG58.